Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-21
sULPAuRIC ACID WORKS.
Movement to Establish Il Manufac-
tory Here


A movement is on 100. to establish a
sulphuric acid works in connection with
some OF the fertilizer factories in this
city. a gentleman who is Interested in
the matter, was ASKED yesterday III regard
TO the probable success Of the movement.
81 believe a sulpburic acid company
here would pay handsomely" he said.
"All the cities on the Atlantic coast, ex-
cept Savannah, have one or more acid
companies, usually IN connection vita
fertilizer works"
"What are the principal uses of sui
| phuric acid"
"Hhey are innumeraDe. There is
scarcely manufacturing industry either
| petty or great into which it does not enter
more or less, from the manufacture of
soda water TO refining oil, but more espe-
! cialy in dls5ulYIng phosphate rock, rem
derlng it soluble and available for plant
| food savannah needs this industry
badly for This purpose alone, for, notwith-
| standing the fact that there are three To-
cal guano factories here, none of them
possess acid cnamG GERS, but are compelled
to buy their acid phosphate from Eng
landor Charleston, paying out profit,
which should be kept at home"
"What advantages does Savannah pos
sess for such an enterpriSeW
sit mas been common but mistaken
idea among those not acquainted win the
facts that Charleston possesses superior
advantages over Savannah i'll this branch
OF manufacturing. Inquiry into the mat
ter proves that such is not the case. The
Charleston factories, numbering no less
than nIue, employing capital OF over
81 900, 900 and hundreds of hands. have to
transport the crude rock from the mines
al greater expense than it would
cost to bring the rock from
Beaufort and other near by mining points
TO savannah. 1t is well known that
Savannah is the largest distributing
point n the South. AT least 100, 600 tons
of fertilizers per annum are used in a
territory in which the difference in
freghts gives her marked advantages
over both Port Royal and Charleston.
Birthstone, from which sulphuric acid
is made, and all other in
gradients entering into the
manufacture Of sulphuric acid and fer
tilzers, can be laid down here as cheap
or cheaper than at any other Southern
Atlantic port on account of the larger
tonnage seeking freight at this port. Am
mOniates can be brought from the West
and other points OF supply at favorable
rates."
"Wnere would be the market for the
acid?"
Tine local fertilizer companies alone
would probably contract for the wlole
supply that works of ordinary size could
produce, at price which would pay a
handsome percentage on the Investment,
TO say nothing of the large demand from
cotton seed oil mills aud interior taoto-
rIes tor acid phosphate"
"What would be the probable cost of
establishing mandatory |"
ITO erect and work the acid chambe
alone would require capital of 5000 TO
$4,000. Were terJIlIzer works erected IN
connection with the acid works IL would
require from $4,000 TO 100000 Tor the
works and 100000 additional tor working
capital, to produce an output of about
10000 tons per annum of aoi,,
phosphate and ammOniated fertilizers.
Al the present prices at which fertilizers
are selling sucn an enterprise ought to
pay from II TO % per cent, dependent on
economy and Intelligent business man
agemenJ. some OF our capitalists ought
10 put this bail in motion. Certainly If
Charleston, with inferior advantages. can
support nine factories of this character
probably savannah can support one. A
portion of the capital required to erect a
factory here can be obtained in Charles
ton and elsewhere from gentlemen who
are familiar with the business"
President Alexander was asked day
or two ago in regard TO the enterprise, and
he replied that it would receive his hearty
Endorsement. 81 believe that Savannah
Is the place for such an industry" he
SAID, land the railroads will certainly
encourage it IN every possible way"